To assess level of knowledge of staff nurses on emergency obstetric management at orotta national referral maternity hospital

1. * Corresponding author: R.Aroun Prasath
E-mail address: aroun2000@gmail.com 287
IJAMSCR |Volume 2 | Issue 4 | Oct-Dec- 2014
www.ijamscr.com
Review article Nursing Research
To assess level of knowledge of staff nurses on emergency
obstetric management at orotta national referral maternity
hospital
1
P.Kavitha, 2
Asmerom Tesfay,
3
R.Aroun Prasath,
4
Luwam Habtegiorgis, 5
Selam Girmay,
6
Yohana Sereke BSN.
1,2,4,5,6
Department of Nursing, ACHS, Asmara, Eritrea.
3
Department of Biomedical Sciences, ACHS, Asmara, Eritrea.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge of staff nurses on emergency obstetric management,
to assess demographic variable and also to find out the association between knowledge and selected
demographic variable. The present study was conducted at Orotta National Referral Maternity Hospital,
Asmara, Eritrea. The research design was descriptive. Non probability convenient sampling was used to select
60 samples. The selected samples were assessed by structured self-administered questionnaire and the data was
analyzed by using SPSS Version 18.
Results: Descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage and chi-square) were used to analyze the data. The result
of the study shows that majority 39 (65%) of the staff had adequate knowledge, 21 (35%) of the staff had
moderately adequate knowledge and none of them had inadequate knowledge regarding emergency obstetric
management.
Conclusion: The overall experience of conducting this study was satisfying and enriching .The study was a new
learning experience for the investigators. The result highlights the need of improvement of knowledge on
Emergency obstetrics management.
Key words: Obstetric management, Maternity hospital.
INTRODUCTION
Obstetrical emergencies are life-threatening
medical conditions that occur in pregnancy, during
or after labor and delivery. There are a number of
illnesses and disorders of pregnancy that can
threaten the well-being of both mother and child
(Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine 2008).
Maternal mortality remains a major public health
problem worldwide especially in low income
countries. The reduction of maternal deaths by
three-quarters, between 1990 and 2015, is a global
concern, articulated as the fifth MDG. Direct
causes including hemorrhage, unsafe abortion,
pregnancy induced hypertension, obstructed labor
and sepsis contribute to 70% of maternal deaths.
According a study done in Uganda, there is high
maternal mortality ratio estimated at 435/100,000
live births. This is mainly attributed to direct causes
of maternal deaths. [Ogwang et al. BMC
Pregnancy and Childbirth 2012]
Maternal mortality ratio per 100,000 Live births
by Zoba
1,261/100,000 in SRSZ, 1,083/100,000 in Anseba,
1.040/100,000 in Gash Barka, 747/100,000 in
NRSZ, 696 in Debub, 46 in Makel.
International Journal of Allied Medical Sciences
and Clinical Research (IJAMSCR)

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Objectives of the study
a. General objectives:
To assess the level of knowledge of staff nurses on
emergency obstetric at Orotta National Referral
Maternity Hospital.
b. Specific objectives
 To assess demographic variable
 To assess the level of knowledge of the staff
nurses
 To find out the association between knowledge
and selected demographic variable
Hypothesis
 There will be a significant difference in
knowledge of staff nurses on emergency
obstetric management.
 There will be a significant association between
knowledge and selected demographic variable.
METHODOLOGY
A descriptive study design was implemented. This
study project was carried out at Orotta National
Referral Maternity Hospital, Asmara, Eritrea. Our
study population was the staff nurses .60 staff
nurses selected by using non-probability
convenient sampling technique. The main tool for
data collection was structured self-administered
questionnaire. Data was analyzed using the
Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS
version 18.0).
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
The major findings are summarized as follows
 Most of the staff nurses (66.7%) were in the
age group of 20-30 years.
 Most of the staff nurses (70%) were females.
 Most of the staff nurses (70%) were Diploma
graduate.
 All of the staff nurses(100%) had attended
workshop regarding emergency obstetric
management(LSS)
 Highest percentage (55%) of the staff nurses
had 0-3 years of work experience.
Table – 1: Frequency and percentage distribution of knowledge of the staff nurses regarding emergency
obstetric management.
n=60
Table 1shows knowledge score regarding emergency obstetric management among 60 staff nurses, majority 39
(65%) of the staff had adequate knowledge and 21 (35%) of the staff had moderately adequate knowledge and
none of them had inadequate knowledge regarding emergency obstetric management.
Fig 1: Percentage distribution of staff nurses regarding emergency obstetric management.
Level of Knowledge Frequency Percentage (%)
Adequate knowledge 39 65
Moderately adequate knowledge 21 35
Inadequate knowledge 0 0

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Table – 2: Frequency and percentage distribution of staff nurses knowledge regarding management of
hemorrhage.
Table 2 shows knowledge score regarding
Hemorrhage management among 60 staff nurses,
majority 47 (78.3%) of the staff had moderately
n=60
adequate knowledge and 11 (18.3%) of the staff
had inadequate knowledge and only 2(3.3) had
adequate knowledge regarding Hemorrhage
management.
Fig 2: Percentage distribution of staff nurses regarding hemorrhage management
Table – 3: Frequency and percentage distribution of staff nurses knowledge regarding management
of unsafe abortion.
Level of Knowledge Frequency Percentage (%)
Adequate knowledge 44 73.3
Moderately adequate knowledge 16 26.7
Inadequate knowledge 0 0
n=60
Table 3 shows knowledge score regarding unsafe
abortion management among 60 staff nurses,
majority 44 (73.3%) of the staff had adequate
knowledge and 16 (16%) of the staff had
moderately adequate knowledge and none of them
had inadequate knowledge regarding unsafe
abortion management.
Fig 3: Percentage distribution of staff nurses regarding unsafe abortion management
Level of Knowledge Frequency Percentage (%)
Adequate knowledge 2 3.3
Moderately adequate knowledge 47 78.3
Inadequate knowledge
11 18.3

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Table – 4: Frequency and percentage distribution of staff nurses knowledge regarding management
of Puerperal sepsis
Level of Knowledge Frequency Percentage (%)
Adequate knowledge 41 68.3
Moderately adequate knowledge 18 30
Inadequate knowledge
1 1.7
n=60
Table 4 shows knowledge score regarding
Puerperal sepsis management among 60 staff
nurses, majority 41 (68.3%) of the staff had
adequate knowledge and 18 (30%) of the staff had
moderately adequate knowledge and 1(1.7%) had
inadequate knowledge regarding Puerperal sepsis
management.
Fig 4: Percentage distribution of staff nurses regarding puerperal sepsis management
Table – 5: Frequency and percentage distribution of staff nurses knowledge regarding management of
prolonged labor
Level of Knowledge Frequency Percentage (%)
Adequate knowledge 45 75
Moderately adequate
knowledge
15 25
Inadequate knowledge 0 0
n=60
Table 5 shows knowledge score regarding
prolonged labor management among 60 staff
nurses, majority 45 (75%) of the staff had adequate
knowledge, 15 (25%) of the staff had moderately
adequate knowledge and none of them had
inadequate knowledge regarding Prolonged labor
management

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Fig 5: Percentage distribution of staff nurses regarding prolonged labor management.
Table 6: Frequency and percentage distribution of staff nurses knowledge regarding management
of Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia
Level of Knowledge Frequency Percentage (%)
Adequate knowledge 29 48.3
Moderately adequate knowledge 30 50
Inadequate knowledge 1 1.7
Table 6 shows knowledge score regarding Pre-
Eclampsia /Eclampsia management among 60 staff
nurses, 29(48.3%) of the staff had adequate
knowledge, 30(50%) of the staff had moderately
adequate knowledge and only 1(1.7%) of the staff
had inadequate knowledge
Fig 6: Percentage distribution of staff nurses regarding pre-Eclampsia /Eclampsia management.

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Table – 7: Association of knowledge scores regarding emergency obstetric management among staff nurses
with their selected demographic variables.
n=60
Demographic
Variables
Level of Knowledge on emergency obstetrics
management
2 Table
ValueAdequate
Moderately
Adequate
In
adequate
F % F % F %
AGE
2.967
(NS)
3.84
20-30 yrs. 29 48.33 11 18.33 0 0
31- 40 yrs. 6 10 3 5 0 0
>40 yrs. 4 6.67 7 11.67 0 0
Sex
1.845
(NS)
3.84Male 14 23.3 4 6.67
Female 25 41.67 17 28.33
Professional qualification
3.356
(NS)
3.84Certificate 8 13.33 9 15
Diploma 30 50 12 20
Graduate nurse 1 1.67 0 0
Work experience in maternity
0.711 (NS) 3.84
0-3 23 38.33 10 16.67
4-6 9 15 2 3.33
>6 7 11.67 9 15
NS: Not Significant S: Significant P < 0.05
Table – 7 showed that Chi-square values were calculated to find out the association between knowledge of staff
nurses with their age, sex, marital status, professional qualification, and experience in maternity.
All demographic variables (age, sex, marital status,
professional qualification, and experience in
maternity) had no association with knowledge
regarding emergency obstetric management.
CONCLUSION
Generally speaking, majority of the nurses (65%)
had adequate knowledge regarding emergency
obstetric management. When try to go through the
five categories [Hemorrhage, Unsafe abortion,
Puerperal sepsis, Prolonged labor, Pre-
Eclampsia/Eclampsia] separately, regarding
management of Unsafe abortion, Puerperal sepsis
and Prolonged labor majority of the nurses (73.3%,
68.3%, 75%) respectively had adequate knowledge,
whereas in the management of hemorrhage most of
the (78.3%) nurses had moderately adequate
knowledge and 18.3% of the nurses had inadequate
knowledge. Concerning management of Pre-
Eclampsia/Eclampsia there was nearly similar
score in moderately adequate (50%) and adequate
knowledge (48.3%) of the nurses. Regarding the
demographic variable, among those who belonged
to the age group of above 40 majority (64%) had
moderately adequate knowledge regarding
emergency obstetric management and out of those
nurses who had >6 years of work experience, most
(56%) had moderately adequate knowledge.
Among those certificate graduate nurses there was
nearly similar score in moderately adequate (47%)
and more than half of them had adequate
knowledge (53%).
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